Spotlight on Research

"Sea cleanup with sunlight

A research team headed by  Joydeep Dutta , Professor of Materials Physics and Nanophysics, have developed new technology to remove plastic pollutants from water. The method uses solar energy to break down microplastics. In practice, this means that when a specific coating is applied, the microplastics will totally disintegrate purely with the help of sunlight. The researchers’ purification technology can be installed at wastewater treatment plants and estuaries.

Plastic pollutants are a growing threat to marine environments. Microplastics come from synthetic leathers, tyres, cosmetics and other personal care products and plastic objects such as bottles and bags that have fragmented. These microplastics risk being ingested by marine life and then by humans in our diet. The research is financed by the EU and published in the journal Environmental Chemistry Letters."

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